Why are there so many bad books on the market?

Question

Somebody told me that most publishers/agents refuse to read anything from a new author (apparently new authors don't sell; the public likes an established name), therefore the market is flooded with the same old authors, year in, year out.
Is this true?

Answer 1

To a point. Name recognition is essential in the publishing field, and established authors are generally a guarenteed way to sell books. New authors become popular all the time, though. Just browse the the New York Times Bestseller List, and ask yourself how many are famous authors, and how many you've never heard of. A first-time author has a definite chance to become popular if their book is good and if they spend virtually every second of their life travelling around and promoting it.

Whoever told you that most publishers and agents won't read new works is lying to you. They generally won't, however, read a piece that isn't formatted perfectly and that doesn't grab their attention in the first paragraph, simply because they have so many books to wade through.

Answer 2

I think that is an exaggeration. Your question about 'bad books' being linked to established authors is slightly ridiculous. You might not care for an individual author or a particular genre but the fact that they're selling and popular indicates that some percentage of the reading world finds them to be good.

As far as the second part of your question is concerned. New authors are published each year. I read mainly young adult books--I review them--but each year there are dozens of new authors published. Many of them quite good. It is exciting as a reviewer to find new authors. So it is a generalization to say that new authors are not being published because it's just not true. Everybody has to start somewhere. Now an author whose published one book that didn't sell well and didn't get good reviews might not get a second book deal with that publisher. You can't equate new author with outstanding work and 'old' author with worthless junk. Nor can you equate new writers as worthless and untalented and old writers as geniuses.

There is a certain process a writer must go through to be published by mainstream publishers (not vanity presses or self-publication). If you don't follow those rules, if you send your manuscripts off unsolicited to publishers anyway--then they won't get read. They have to ask to see it. And it might take several tries--even up to a dozen or so--before writers can get publishers or agents interested enough in their material to make a deal.

Answer 3

I think that sadly, publishers will print what sells not necessarily what is good.

I heard the same thing about publishing from existing authors: you go with what you know sells- can't help the audience's taste, and if it is bad but sells, it ends up in Borders.

Most publishing houses have what they call the "slush pile" which are unsolicited manuscripts submitted by unknown authors. Many editors are overburdened and have very little time to go over the "slush" so who knows, maybe really good books are just sitting in a box.

Answer 4

Marketing wise, authors with name has readers, while new authors need to established their position. A publisher would invest his money and time with the old author who definitely has readers, so he gained profit, ok. Also, this old authors with readers have talents to bank on. It needs more time to be established as a writer unless you have a real good deal of a talent.

Answer 5

Authors who people know all ways sell better. A few new authours appear every year but dont get the same publisity and hardly ever hard covers. Usually its just a cheap paper back which nobody has heard off unless their dedicated fans.

Answer 6

I have heard that it does take alot for a new author to get read, and the established ones frequently have contracts that end up publishing crap

Answer 7

i'd ought to assert that it become the explosion of titles rather through wonder in the course of the early 90s coupled with numerous version covers. both issues mixed alienated followers which couldn't manage to pay for to purchase as many comics. it also bring about a great decline in high quality memories/artwork because they tried to strengthen the market speedier than the skills become rising.

Answer 8

i don't think its true Ive bought a few good books lately by un known authors

Answer 9

That sounds very true and I personaly think a lot of people just have bad taste.

Answer 10

Probably authors now use the computer programmes for plots etc. My wife watches soaps and they seem to have same storyline with a few changes so they obviously do it.